New Ulm weekly review., 1887-10-19


anything else, and the minister's wives
were always kind to me and wanted
me to sit In their pew. He never came
back, and we never heard from him or
the vessel.
This, then, was aunt Lucy's ro-
nance; locked in her heart for fifty
years; filling her life with q serene and
gracious sweetness, broken at my feet
at last like the alabaster box of pre-
cious ointment. Now had secret
that even Regina could not know, that
would not have her know for the
world. Was she not daily question
ing me about 8 lover Of mine who was
q long way of, and whom she sus-
pected of coldness? I could not let
her know the tender bond holding me
to aunt Lucy.
In my determination to hide my
hearts unrest, / watched the postof-
fee, and when she questioned me
about letters from him, avoided
direct answer. Regina, in her young
content-well, she wanted agreat boon
to come to all whom she loved. But
that could hardly be possible. .tSir
Arthur, as we liked to call him, was
a princely man, and Regina had
drawn a prize in life's lottery.
The winter days were at length
| counted out amid much going and
coming and real earnest work in the
home and church. A successful fair
had marked the young minister's first
winter, and we had made a multitude
OF acquaintances at the fair. When
spring began to show it's green ] went
back to my school teaching among
the hills, and to the home that was
glad of my coming. Several years
went by before again saw Regina.
Indeed did not expect TO visit her
again, SO far away, but she expected it
| and said so. The second baby was q
girl and named for me. It was to be
christened in June, and beseeching let.
ters began to pour in upon me again.
must come to the christening, come
| and pass the summer; had kept
school long enough to deserve rest;
and summer was the time to see Penn
hollow In all its glory. As father and
mother had grandchildren growing
up around them now. it was easier to.
say yes, and / went.
After the christening, there were
plans which seemed to have been
made especially for me; drives to the
shore, and sails down the harbor, and
| visit to aunt Lucy, whom Isadly
missed in the minister's pew. She
was spending the summer at her
nephew's, close by the sea- Indeed.
| his farm took In the beach sands and
pebbles, and the roar of the ocean
was their perpetual music. I found
aunt Lucy grown older, and seeming
much feebler than when she told me
her story in the low chamber on Ant
Ter street. But she frightened up
wonderfully on seeing her visitors,
and walked with US along the shore
and clear out to t'Spouulng Horn
where she looked into the chasm and
told stories of the height to which the
water would squirt into the air during
troubled sea at high tide.
grew quite nervous oyer the
stories and the appearance of the
rocky gorge, and needed to sit awhile
on the sands and look over the limit
less and peaceful blue to restore my
usual equanimity. Aunt Lucy sat
| down with me, while Arthur and Re-
gina, not yet over their lovers ways
walked hither and thither, hand in
hand, as happy as two children
While we looked out upon the sea,
aunt Lucy said, gently, 81 am going
to see my captain soon."
t.Do you feel more unwell than
usual?" I asked.
'.Not really sick, but weak and
tired. I have not walked to Spout
ing Horn before this summer. And
= We, fry, f1r ~
than eighty now
"You will not be sorry, will you,
aunt Lucy, when your captain
calls?"
'.sorry! I shall be glad! gladder than
1have been since he went away. 1
am fairly impatient to go. It seems
to me the bridegroom is waiting for
me, and l know how sad it is to wait.
want to save him that pain"
That was all. A little signal hung
from the cottage window in token OF
the dinner hour. and we hurried up
the sands. At sunset we drove home,
all of us impressed that we had talked
with aunt Lucy for the last time this
side OF the dividing flood.
A week later the bell on the church
OF the Holy Cross tolled. We listened
to its vibrant notes, which, on the
summer air, hardly seemed kneil.
Then came thesexton along the hedge
row, and, scarcely pausing, he spoke
through the open window. There
were tears in his voice, and We only
heard AUNT Lucy
The smile and dimples which habit
had fixed upon her lace, remained
tO greet all rhn tonboH
upon her in death. AS she lay
in peace before the altar, while the
! minister spoke her praises, which were
in every heart. it seemed to me that
she had enjoyed her wedlock ia a high
er and sweeter way then many real
marriages are enjoyed.
It has been tender dream, a gra-
cious memory, and for many years
since she had learned to look for
ward and not backwards beckoning
L L. -. L = Z